she follows him with extra care and caution, delicate limbs stepping timidly ahead toward the song of his footsteps and his gentle voice. when traveling in unfamiliar places before or particularly challenging terrain, with her daee, she would have touched her nose to her guardian’s hip or back, but it feels too intimate a thing to do with rigel, a stranger and aadamee at that. instead, she is grateful that he takes particular care to guard his pace, making it easy for her other senses to follow.

they draw near to the shoreline and she can feel the water lapping at her hooves, hungry, angry perhaps… her curled ears turn restlessly for a moment, as they take in the song of the waves. she wonders if this is the right thing to do. perhaps she puts him at risk of varuna’s wrath, having tempted he and kali so recently with her own life. his voice steadies her thoughts though, and the feeling of his warm body against hers, reassures her. she could not ask him to stay here, away from his parivaar and home, nor could she entertain the thought of being alone. her head bobbles, signaling her understanding of his words. it would be good to remain private, for some time at least, to acclimate and learn about the people and place to which they travelled, to grieve the life she had lost and to celebrate, in some degree, the one she had gained. ”you are considerate. it will take time… to adjust to these new things.”

though her body hesitates at the first few steps, with natural reluctance, eventually the surf swirls around her back. his body is close beside her, thankfully, as the sound of the water around them creates much chaos for her sense of hearing. it makes her realize what a miracle her survival had been. perhaps Kali had not wanted her as badly as the raajy thought.

by the time they reach the destination he had chosen her body is tired, some of the nervous energy worn away by exertion. a tentative smile pulls at her lips when her hooves strike the hard stone below them, echoing deliciously throughout the canyon. it was as if the place had been carved out for her by the devaeton themselves.

she is attentive as he explains, her head lifted toward him though her eyes do not give her the benefit of knowing his features. though it feels ludicrous to think now, having just met, she wonders if she might be brave enough someday to reach out to him and to run her small white muzzle across his cheek or down the bridge of his face, to learn what features are distinct to his profile. her head bobbles again at his speech and she finds herself overcome again with thankfulness. emotion ripens in her throat and her eyes until finally a straggling tear rolls down her cheek. her voice is soft but passionate as she replies, ”you are a great benefit to me while i can only burden you. i do not wish to become an imposition to you or your people. i would settle here, for now, but soon wish to become learned about the ways of this place and your family. if i.. if you decide that the burden of my care is too great, i would only ask your help in finding someone else or some other place that might house me. i am ill prepared for this life i face.”

indeed she had only ever been prepared for death… and now facing life, even with such a steadfast figure as Rigel seemed to be to help guide her, it was very daunting. she remembers his words earlier, in how she might repay him, and feels uncertain as to how she might please him at least in some small way for his kindness. it was obvious he had put much thought into providing such a safe haven for her. it is an alien motion, but still she reaches out with her soft muzzle, to touch the breadth of his shoulder gently as if a butterfly were landing there. she draws it away slowly, turning as she does, to take a few cautious steps into the expanse before her, examining the potential of it with her hooves and ears. ”it grows late and i have the need for rest… but after that i would take your company, if you’d share it with me rakhane vaale